


Becoming My Own

by IShouldBeWriting



Category: Abrahamic Religions, Jewish Scripture & Legend, Megillat Rut | Book of Ruth, תנ"ך | Tanakh
Genre: Empowered Women, Exegisis, F/M, Familial Devotion, Gen, Midrashim, Religious Respect, Reverence
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-02-23
Updated: 2015-02-23
Packaged: 2018-03-14 19:22:20
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 182
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3422702
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/IShouldBeWriting/pseuds/IShouldBeWriting
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Ruth's view on how she chose to stay with Naomi and why she became a Jew.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Becoming My Own

**Author's Note:**

  * For [seekingferret](https://archiveofourown.org/users/seekingferret/gifts).



The first of my marriages was made out of love  
For Mahlon was virtuous, scholarly, and kind.   
(Did I mention handsome? And _skilled_?   
Because those certainly helped.)

While foreign, his faith, his reverence,   
the strength of his conviction intrigued me.  
How could someone believe so strongly?  
How could a people so tested remain steadfast?

I married, I discovered.

Mahlon left me,  
Departed this world too soon.  
I did not know how to grieve.  
But his mother, his people, showed me how. 

"Barukh atah Adonai Eloheinu melekh ha'olam, dayan ha-emet," they spoke.  
We shared k'riah, Ruth, Chilion, Orpah, and I.  
Then they took his body, my Mahlon,  
They made ready (taharah) and we buried him (kevurah).

"Intreat me not to leave thee, [or] to return from following after thee: for whither thou goest, I will go; and where thou lodgest, I will lodge: thy people [shall be] my people, and thy God my God: Where thou diest, will I die, and there will I be buried: the LORD do so to me, and more also, [if aught] but death part thee and me."


End file.
